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July 12, 2026
 

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Louise George Kittaka

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Louise George Kittaka
Originally from New Zealand, Louise George Kittaka is a bilingual writer based in Tokyo. She contributes to a wide range of news and information media, as well as Japan’s educational publishing sector. When she isn’t at her computer, Louise loves exploring waterfalls, going to cake buffets and collecting anything related to the Aliens movie franchise.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / The Big Questions
Mar 29, 2020
A leap from academia to first Armenian ambassador
As ambassador of a country with one of the longest histories in the world, Grant Pogosyan is eager to share his homeland’s unique culture with Japan. Just as unique, however, is Pogosyan’s path to becoming the first ambassador for Armenia in Japan.
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / WHY DID YOU LEAVE JAPAN?
Mar 28, 2020
Mitsukuni Baba: Japanese culture blossoms in the Windy City
As executive director of the Japan America Society of Chicago (JASC), Mitsukuni Baba plays an integral role in introducing Japan to the people of Chicago in terms of business, politics, education and culture.
CULTURE / Books / RECENTLY PUBLISHED BOOKS ABOUT JAPAN
Mar 28, 2020
‘Grit, Grace, and Gold’ review: The Olympics are postponed, but this book’s a winner
On the surface, sports and haiku are an incongruous mix but, as Nagamura notes in the introduction, ‘Writing good haiku involves the same attention to grace, balance, strength, bravery, restraint and observation that propels athletes to their peak.’
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books
Mar 21, 2020
‘The Mad Kyoto Shoe Swapper’: What to do when you lose your shoes? Find them and write
Author Rebecca Otowa came into her writing career late in life. But that doesn’t stop her from immortalizing many aspects of her experiences of being part of a traditional Japanese family living in a 350-year-old farmhouse.
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / WHY DID YOU LEAVE JAPAN?
Mar 14, 2020
Finding new beginnings in the United States
Sachi Asato, a young man on the autistic spectrum, started life with the odds stacked against him. Mother Sheila and father Satoru talk about their family’s move to the U.S. to aid his remarkable progress.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / WHY DID YOU LEAVE JAPAN?
Feb 15, 2020
Nao Hirano: A Japanese pillar of the Queensland community
Determined to give back to Australia’s Gold Coast community, Nao Hirano’s acheivements rank high — from senior police liaison officer to founder of Japan Community of Queensland Inc.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / The Big Questions
Jan 19, 2020
New opportunities sown from the need to evolve
Having lived in Japan since 2002, Nicolas Floquet feels integrated and comfortable in this country he considers home.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / WHY DID YOU LEAVE JAPAN?
Jan 18, 2020
Eiji Yoshikawa: The ‘Compassionate Pugilist’
Boxer Yoshikawa helps others to learn to roll with the punches
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / WHY DID YOU LEAVE JAPAN?
Jan 4, 2020
Motoki Hirai: Spreading the power of music
As an ‘artistic emissary for the Japanese government, pianist and composer Motoki Hirai travels the world to promote Japanese culture and heal hearts with music.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / The Big Questions
Nov 3, 2019
Expanding the narrative of adjusting to life abroad
Since arriving back in Japan in 2015, Ben Jennings, or B.J. Fox as he is known professionally, has built up an impressive body of work.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books / 2010S: DECADE IN REVIEW
Nov 2, 2019
Our critics’ favorite Japanese books of the decade
As 2020 approaches, The Japan Times’ book reviewers look back at a decade of literature and their favorite and most impactful books written about Japan or by Japanese writers.
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle / WHY DID YOU LEAVE JAPAN?
Oct 26, 2019
Miho Beck connects cultures with travel
Miho Beck’s encounter with some heavy metal fans in an English pub in Manchester provided the lightbulb moment that redefined the way she thought about travel, eventually leading to the start of her travel experience platform, TripJunction, some 25 years later.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / The Big Questions
Oct 13, 2019
Newest post met with open-minded enthusiasm
German-born Hartmut Schick heads operations at Daimler Trucks Asia, bringing with him more than three decades of experience with the Daimler Group, the world’s biggest producer of commercial vehicles.
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle
Oct 13, 2019
Japan’s love of the hanky is nothing to be sneezed at
Whether plain, screen printed, embroidered or even lacey, the humble hanky is virtually forgotten in the West. So why is it in Japan, very few will leave home without one?
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / THE FOREIGN ELEMENT
Sep 4, 2019
AFWJ celebrates 50 years of uniting women
Members of the Association of Foreign Wives of Japanese reflect on the group’s achievements and progress.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / The Big Questions
Aug 25, 2019
Extensive career entwined with industry innovations
Alitalia’s Regional General Manager for East Europe and Asia Massimo Allegri had much to share during his recent interview with The Japan Times, but he wanted to start off on the right note.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / WHY DID YOU LEAVE JAPAN?
Aug 24, 2019
Atsuko Kuwana: Jumping in at the deep end
Disability, Kuwana says, is no barrier to achieving goals in life
CULTURE / Books
Aug 17, 2019
Understanding the challenging world of the literary translator
English translations of Japanese books have found an enthusiastic audience around the world, and while the author is undoubtedly the star of the show, the translator’s role should not be underestimated.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / WHY DID YOU LEAVE JAPAN?
Aug 10, 2019
Something’s cooking in Sachie’s Kitchen
Sachie Nomura’s home-cooking skills become the recipe for business success in New Zealand.
CULTURE / Books / RECENTLY PUBLISHED BOOKS ABOUT JAPAN
Aug 3, 2019
‘Beyond the Gender Gap in Japan’: A nuanced take on the status of women in Japan
Gill Steel’s ‘Beyond the Gender Gap in Japan’ fills in some of the gaps in previous research into the status of women in Japan, including the myriad ways in which they exercise agency in their lives.
China’s demand for Soviet-style apartments shows limits to revival
Apartments built during a Soviet Union-inspired construction drive in the 1970s and 1980s tend to suffer from poor insulation and outdated plumbing, but they are seeing a revival in interest due to their attractive locations.
Japanese scientists identify neural mechanism that may explain why we dislike people
The aggressive mouse (left) used in the experiment and a mouse defending itself
Japanese payment processor’s collapse hits banks and restaurants
Zentoshin served around 200,000 shops, many of which rely on early payments to maintain cash flow, raising concerns over their financial stability following the disruption.
Over 70% of accommodations in Japan say they are understaffed amid tourism influx
The number of foreign visitors to Japan reached a high of 42.68 million in 2025.
Lenders seek $700 million after Japanese payments firm’s collapse
The financial failure of Osaka-based Zentoshin has left 63 creditors with claims totaling ¥115.16 billion, according to Tokyo Shoko Research.
Japan’s largest exhibition of women photographers rights a wrong in cultural history
Miwa Yanagi’s “Elevator Girl House” series skewers the superficiality of gender roles through staged images.
Over 70% of accommodations in Japan say they are understaffed amid tourism influx
The number of foreign visitors to Japan reached a high of 42.68 million in 2025.
‘Princess Mononoke’ comes alive in Super Kabuki staging
The “Princess Mononoke” adaptation was created under Shochiku’s Super Kabuki initiative, a modern form of kabuki with more technology in staging and open to pop culture collaborations.
The beating heart inside ‘Human Vapor’
Different forms of love and connection form the emotional backbone of Netflix’s “Human Vapor,” says actor Shun Oguri, who plays troubled detective Kenji Okamoto.
Japan bets on character IP to drive global growth
Born on social media platforms in 2022, Opanchu Usagi has become a major hit, especially among Generation Z.

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